Fury

“It all started two years ago. I remember I was ten at the time and an orphan as well. I had nothing. No possessions or attachments, which I've come to realize is a very fortunate thing for me. It had been a night just like any other night. I was going on with my miserable existence, wondering, like always, if I had any other purpose in life. I remember the television set showing the news, but as always, I ignored it and continued up to my lonely room. I've always been like that now that I think about it. I've preferred being alone since I was very young. After all, if your not attached to anyone, there’s less pain if they die. I had lived in a horrible orphanage. Granted, the people there were really nice, but the money that came into the orphanage was not enough to even get us toilet paper. It was a little sad, but by that time, I had taught myself not to expect too much from the outside world. The orphanage had been located in Miami, Florida. It’s funny how I began writing to say what happened two years ago, but all I can seem to do is ramble on about other things about my life… Maybe I actually long for company now though. Maybe I’m writing about what I actually feel, even though I've tried for two years to conceal my feelings from anyone, although truth be told, it’s been a good year since I've seen another human and even then I didn't approach him.”
“Well, that’s not exactly true, but I’m getting ahead of my tale. Anyway, it all started that very night. I had fallen asleep looking up at the peeling paint in my room. I’m still not sure how long I was asleep although I’m sure that it wasn't more than three or so hours. What awoke me were screams from outside my window. I sat up, confused, but not scared. I still have trouble believing that I wasn't a bit scared, but no matter how many times I run the memory in my mind, fear is never there. Anyway, I went to the window and looked through it. I never in my life, no matter how long or short it may be, will forget what lay outside that window. Fires raged everywhere, it raged from within buildings, on the ground, and even on the light poles outside. Cars had flipped and lay in heaps in the road, buried in white hot flames. Hundreds of people were running around, screaming and falling. Then, I focused on the street right in front of me. The children and adults had been gathered on the streets and were yelling up at me.
“Get out!” They screamed at me. But I was confused. I didn't understand what was happening or why it was happening. Then I remember the door being thrown open and two people stepping inside. I turned around, dazed by everything that was happening around me. I watched as the people shuffled towards me, reaching and moaning. It wasn't until they came into the light of the fires outside that I was able to see that these weren't normal people.”
“They weren't human at all now that I think about it. They had died long ago, that much was obvious. They had sickly grey skin that had patches of green in it. Their eyes had turned milky white and rolled back in their sockets. Their old clothes hung in tatters on their bodies. And the stench was horrible. It was the stench of festered death. I remember wanting badly to retch or look away from these things that had once been human, but of course I could not. I was horribly fascinated by these things and at the same time so scared that I could have screamed, but I did not. I stood there, scared for my life and now that I've had time to reflect on it, that’s what saved my life. The lifeless bodies stood there, moaning and reaching like they’d been doing, but they moved no further into my room. I think we all stood there in that room for a good minute before the sound of splintering wood came from downstairs. In unison the things turned and shuffled out of my room. It was only then that I found that I could move. I slowly began moving, trying not to make any noise. I knew it was too soon to be making any reckless guesses, but it was all I had to go on so I slowly made my way to the stairs. I looked down over the rail and saw that the things had gotten their hands on someone that had come in, maybe to save me, I’m not sure, but they got him. They had taken a large chunk of his throat out. Blood was everywhere. The things were eating him fast and without any kind of restraint. It was obvious that these things, whatever they were had an unwavering hunger for living flesh.

“It was a horrible sight to behold for sure. I made my way down the stairs, my eyes on the things the whole way down. I managed to make it down without any incident, but as I turned to leave, the corpse that they were devouring swiped at my ankle. I jumped back and yelled. Immediately, the other things turned towards me and began reaching towards me. Luckily for me, the door had already been bashed open and I ran through it. Up close, the mayhem on the streets were even uglier than I’d thought. Everywhere I looked, I saw someone being eaten alive by these monstrous things. Midst the chaos I saw a boy being cornered by a corpse. Not really knowing why, not even now, I ran towards the thing, snatching up a tire iron that had fallen from the trunk of a wrecked car. I ran as fast as I could and jumped just as the thing reached for the boy. It was a dire situation. Either the tire iron would reach the thing before it bit into the boy or the boy would be bitten before I could kill the thing. And although I wasn't sure of it until now, I wasn't going to allow the boy to live if he’d been bitten. Luck seemed to love me that night however and the tire iron crashed against the top of the things head. It was followed by a sickening crunch as the man’s head caved in and his brain was split in two by the tire iron. It was my first time killing anything and I thought that I’d be shocked by it or at least bothered, but I found myself smiling. It was exciting and I liked that. Besides, the thing was no longer a person. So compassion for it was not going to come to mind.”

“The thing fell to the side, blood welling up around it’s head. I looked at it for a moment until I suddenly had the urge to retch. I turned and obliged the feeling. When I’d cleaned out my system, I turned back to the boy that sat there. I remember his eyes back then. They were blue and filled with fear. I turned away from him then. I couldn't use anyone who was that scared, but as I made to walk away, he grabbed my shirt and I turned to face him. It was a little startling what I saw and I have no quarrels about admitting this to him. Just a moment ago, he had been scared stiff, but now as I looked at him, I saw grim determination. A burning passion that would be put into surviving. Now that, I thought to myself, I can use. After questioning the boy, I found out that his name was Rex and that he was only eight years old. I told myself that he was too young to be of any use, but I could not shake off what I’d seen in his eyes. He was not the fittest kid I’d ever seen, but he was hungry for survival just like I was and still am. I can make him fit, I decided to myself. He was of light skin and I of a more dark skinned complexion. At that time, I did not think of him as anything, but a potential tool that could be used to my own ends and that actually bothered me a bit. Once again, however I find myself rambling like an old man.”
“I helped Rex find a weapon which turned out to be a sharp piece of metal that lay near him. I told him that I needed him to be vicious till we got out of the city. Here, his eyes again filled with fear, but he quelled them immediately and they were replaced by determination. Our first course of action was to find something that would get us out of the city and since they’re were so many cars, we decided to use a car, but the problem in that plan was actually finding a usable car. There were plenty of cars, but most of them were wrecked too badly to be used again, but once again, luck was on our side. We found a car just a couple of streets away from where we were. I rushed to open the door, forgetting about the things that now roamed the city. Rex yelled a warning, but I’d already opened the door and as I did, the corpse inside jumped upon me. I remember jamming my arm into the things throat keeping it’s chomping mouth at a distance, although it began to diminish. I yelled for Rex to help, but he was frozen with fear. I remember scolding myself for being stupid, for not having the sense to remember what was going on around me. Then, as the thing was about to rip my throat out, it went rigid and blood spattered everywhere. I pushed the thing aside and looked at Rex. He stood in shock, hold onto the half of metal that wasn't embedded into the things skull. I was about express my thanks when I remembered that I’d yelled for help. I looked around and sure enough, I found that the things were beginning to shuffle towards us.”

“I grabbed Rex’s arm and pushed him into the car. He protested about leaving his weapon, but I promised him we’d get another and at that moment, I thought that we would need weapons. A lot of weapons and there was a very popular place in town where we could get our hands on them. And it just happened to be across the street, but with the threat of the things outside, we couldn't risk getting out and raiding the store. I turned the key and pressed what I hoped was the gas pedal. The car jerked forward and went crashing through the front of the store. Rex and I were thrown forward, but I wasted no time in getting out and pulling Rex out with me. I screamed at him to get as many weapons as he could get his hands on and throw them into the backseat. Without waiting for an answer, I jumped behind the counter and began loading my arms with as many boxes of ammunition as I could. Then I’d pop back over the counter and throw them into the back. As I did this I kept my eyes on the approaching waves of things. I was able to make four more trips before they were close enough for me to become nervous. I yelled for Rex and ran to the car. They weren't that close, but I didn't have the hang of driving and I knew that I’d need all the time I could get to figure out how to work it. Rex jumped in beside me and slammed the door shut. I put the car, which I learned later was a Mustang, in reverse and punched the gas. We shot backwards into the things. Although, they were many, they did little to slow the Mustang.”

“As soon as I thought we were clear, I put it in drive and sped along a random street, praying silently that it’d lead us out of the city. Turns out that I was the only one to think of taking a car because along the way, I saw no one else on the streets, not even those things that were in the city. Almost as soon as we got out of the city, I pulled the car over and turned it off. Rex panicked for a moment. Demanding to know why we had stopped. I explained to him that we’d been extremely lucky that there hadn't been any of those things out here and that noise seemed to attract them. I proceeded to explain that the danger of parking here was minimal and even if they did happen upon the car, they would be safe inside, because as far as I knew, they couldn't open doors. So it meant that it was by far the safest choice to park here, because they could not drive forever, everyone had to rest. They were no different. Rex seemed to accept my answer. So I took the keys out of the ignition and climbed into the back. Rex followed suit and fell asleep against me. Strangely, I didn't like it, but at the same time, I didn't want to wake him up and before I knew it, my eyes had shut too. That ends what happened on the first day of the disaster. I honestly wonder if I’ll get the chance to continue this tale. I feel as if my days are numbered. I’d write more, but I fear that my pen is almost out. Next time, I come across one, I’ll write again, just in case someone someday manages to get their hands on this. Till next time?”